Summer Fun for Kids

Summer may be a time to relax, but tell that to kids who are bouncing off the walls or shrieking “I’m bored.” As parents, we want each summer to be more memorable than the next, and with that comes the need for a few new ideas. Take advantage of those bright sunny days and warm summer nights and plan something new a couple of times a week. Here are 101 ideas for your summer bucket list — to keep kids from being bored and create memories they’ll have for a lifetime (or at least for that first day of school when they’re asked “what did you do this summer?”).

Bake cookies for ice cream sandwiches.

Volunteer at a nature center.

Make a photo journal or a family yearbook.

Have a luau in the backyard.

Visit the beach and collect shells.

Make a fort out of cardboard boxes.

Visit a farmer’s market.

Stage an A to Z scavenger hunt, where you have to find something that starts with every letter.

Pick berries.

Have a picnic at a state park.

Make ice cream.

Go canoeing at a local lake.

Build a sandcastle.

Write and illustrate your own book and have it published into an actual hardcover book.

Forget cooking — set up an ice cream sundae buffet for dinner.

Clean up trash at a local park.

Have a backyard campfire…or just use the grill! Roast hot dogs on sticks, pop popcorn and finish off with s’mores.

Make homemade pizza.

Go for a walk and then make a collage from nature objects you find along the way.

Head to a creek and look at the ducks.

Set up a lemonade stand.

Have a water balloon fight.

Practice your origami skills and make objects to hang from the ceiling.

Go biking on a trail

Interview an older relative about what life was like when they were young.

Plan a picnic at a local park — or in your backyard.

Print out a list of children’s books that have won Caldecott Medals. Visit the local library throughout the summer and try to read as many as you can.

Let kids paint each other with washable tempera paint, then wash it off in the sprinklers.

Visit a national park and help the kids earn a junior ranger badge.

Go to a ballgame and teach your kids (and yourself!) how to keep a scorecard.

Set up a tent in the backyard to use as a summer playhouse.

Take a free kid’s workshop at stores like Lowe’s, Home Depot or Pottery Barn.

Have a game night with charades, Pictionary and bingo.

Take a boring brown paper bag and have kids brainstorm creative things to do with it — you’ll be surprised at how many things you can come up with.

Cleaning Tip – Diaper Pail

Add 1/4 cup of bleach to one gallon of warm water. Wear rubber gloves and scrub the pail with the solution. rinse under cold running water. Wait for the pail to completely air-dry before putting in a new plastic liner.